Magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM) is an imaging technique that acquires magnetic resonance images (MRI) at nanometer scales, and possibly at atomic scales in the future. An MRFM system comprises a probe coupled to an interferometer. The probe applies a magnetic field to a sample and measures variations in a resonant frequency of the probe. The resonant frequency variations are indicative of the tomography of the sample. More specifically an MRFM probe comprises a cantilever tipped with a ferromagnetic (for example, iron cobalt) particle to resonate as the spin of electrons in the particles of a sample are reversed. There is a background magnetic field generated by a background magnetic field generator which creates a gradient field in the sample. As the ferromagnetic tip moves close to the sample, the atoms' nuclear spins become attracted to the tip and generate a small force on the cantilever. Using an RF magnetic field applied by an RF antenna, the spins are then repeatedly flipped, causing the cantilever to oscillate in a synchronous motion (i.e. a resonant frequency). When the cantilever oscillates, the magnetic particle magnetic moment remains parallel to the background magnetic field, and thus it experiences no torque. The displacement of the cantilever is measured with an interferometer (laser beam) to create a series of 2-D images of the sample, which are combined to generate a 3-D image. Often, audio vibrations in the experimental environment where the probe sits cause unwanted inaccuracies in the measurements and cause malfunction of components in the MRFM system, distorting the displacements of the cantilever and introducing errors in the interferometer readings. This causes the 2D and 3D images of the sample to be inaccurate. In addition, current MRFM systems do not allow a user to easily disconnect various portions of the system or for rapid sample exchange to be performed easily and conveniently.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for an apparatus for performing magnetic resonance force microscopy on large area samples allowing for modularity, rapid sample exchange and vibration isolation.